to her old friend.

"Good-bye, Barbara," Ralph answered, politely. "It has been a great
pleasure for Hugh and me to see you and the other girls in your forest
retreat. I am sorry we must be off so soon."

"But you will come back again, in a week or two won't you?" begged Ruth.
"I heard you promise those lovely English girls, Hugh, to take part in
the autumn sports at Lenox."

"Oh, we shall be back if possible, Ruth." Hugh assured her. "I think we
can promise to give Lenox a taste of our charming society, say near the
first week in October."

"Let's be off, Hugh," called Ralph. "Here is that Latham fellow coming up
the hill."

Bab laid her hand on Ralph's sleeve. "You are not angry with me for going
off with Reginald Latham last night are you? Truth of the matter, Ralph,
I don't believe I like Mr. Latham any better than the others do. But I am
rather sorry for him; he seems queer and nervous. Why, the other day,
even at his own house, all the young people except me ran away from him.
I don't think he is very happy. That's why he is always fooling with
inventions and things. He's a weak kind of fellow, Ralph, but I don't
think he is horrid."

Ralph laughed and his face cleared. "Good for you, Bab. Always looking
after the oppressed. But I don't think you need feel sorry for a fellow
who has such a lot of money coming his way as Reg Latham."

"He hasn't it yet!" was Bab's wise comment.

As Ralph and Hugh disappeared, Reginald Latham joined the four girls. He
wore his shooting clothes, and his dark face was transformed with
pleasure. He knew he was not popular with young people and the idea made
him unhappy. He had been brought up in a foreign country and was shy and
ill at ease. His mother had always kept him in her society. Now, he was
delighted with the independence and courage of "The Automobile Girls" and
longed to be friends with them.

"I hope I am in time for the shooting," he declared. "My uncle sent me up
to apologize for the chapter of accidents that occurred last night in our
coon hunt. Gwendolin Morton is laid up with a bad ankle, Franz Heller has
influenza, and everyone else is tired out with the long tramp. But you
look entirely rested." He turned to Barbara and spoke under his breath.
"Forgive me for last night's performance."

"Come, Naki," called Ruth to their guide, "we are ready for our target
practice. Mr. Latham is here."

Ruth led the way over the hill. At a little distance from the hous